What nickname is often used for the Soviet offensive against Japan that began in August 1945?

Operation August Storm is a nickname often used for the Soviet offensive against Japan that began in August 1945.

The offensive began on August 9, 1945, when Soviet forces attacked Japanese positions in Manchuria from several directions. Soviet troops also fought in areas including southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands during the final phase of the Pacific War.

The name “Operation August Storm” was introduced by U.S. Army historian David Glantz in a 1983 paper. The operation is also described by terms such as the Soviet strategic offensive operation in Manchuria or the Soviet–Japanese War, so the nickname is not the only label used by historians.

Operation August Storm is sometimes confused with Operation Downfall, the proposed Allied invasion of Japan. Downfall was never carried out; the Soviet offensive occurred while Japan was moving toward surrender, which was formally signed on September 2, 1945.